Victoria Jones discovers why the thriving village of Hale is now the place to be
Photographs: Chris Tofalos

Sitting back, gently sipping a coffee, reading the morning newspapers. This is the life.
And the residents of Hale will know this feeling all too well, because this is what many the locals seem to do. A quick wander through the village and it’s clear that the café culture is thriving.  Rob Whittle, who runs a fish shop in Hale said: ‘It has got a really good café culture, especially during the summer. It’s really laid back, there’s no rushing around.’

And that is what makes this particular village so special. Being here, you would never realise that you are just a 15 minute drive away from Manchester city centre. The atmosphere is one of complete calm and serenity. But that’s not to say that there’s nothing happening in Hale. In fact, as Penny Bell, Town Centres Officer at Trafford Council says: ‘It’s a thriving little village.’

It hasn’t always been this way though. In fact, until the railway arrived in Hale in 1862, the area was predominantly agricultural, with a few farms dotted around. But then Hale developed into a commuter destination, with the merchants from Manchester choosing to settle there.

These days, locals are lucky enough to have several bakeries, a butcher and a fish shop. And it seems they make the most of their traditional village amenities: ‘There are a lot of local shops and family businesses here and there is a very strong “support the local community” atmosphere to go with it,’ says one resident.

The inhabitants of Hale seem protective and supportive of each other, which is rather fitting when you consider the origins of the village’s name. After all, Hale derives from the Anglo-Saxon word, halh, meaning shelter.  Perhaps this community atmosphere is one reason for the abundance of another facility in the village: estate agents.
The area is clearly top of the list when it comes to attracting home buyers and one local estate agent attempts to explain why: ‘The village life is very good. There are a lot of lovely restaurants and bars and people move here to be with their families. The local schools attract a lot of people. And once they are here, we find that most people stay. They just tend to move to slightly bigger houses as their families grow. Hale is in a great location because it’s 15 minutes from Manchester, but five minutes to the countryside too.’

Hale seems to boast the whole package. And over the years it has built up quite a reputation. But Helen Chalker, who has lived in the area all her life, explains that Hale has really started to thrive over the last ten years: ‘The main street hasn’t really changed, apart from the village clock which was built for the millennium. But it’s now the place to be. It has all happened over the last ten years or so and it has become the luxury place to live. It’s not your average place; you can get whatever you want from here and people love using the local shops. It retains its village atmosphere and you’ve got all aspects of life here – it’s an all-rounder.’

Hale continues to attract people to the area, partly because of the Hale Civic Society’s work. Founded in 1965, this group of local residents is dedicated to ensuring that the area remains well maintained. Denise Laver, Chairperson of Hale Civic Society said: ‘We do an awful lot for Hale and we care about it a great deal. We deal with cultivation, preservation, heritage and planning along with lots of other things.’ The society’s next project is to plant trees all along Ashley Road, which is the main shopping street.

But it’s not all about the future, the society is also concerned with protecting Hale’s past, as Denise explains: ‘There are a few little stories attached to Hale and the locals love it. One of the most important things here is Royd House for example.’

Royd House, which can be found on Hale Road, is a grade one listed building, designed by famous architect, Edgar Wood. It is something else for the residents of Hale to feel protective over and they’re right to do so.

Altogether, there are nine houses designed by Edgar Wood in Hale and they date from 1890 – 1914, with Royd House being the last to be built. Wood designed and built this house for himself during the First World War and the architecture was advanced for its time. This perhaps explains Wood’s little nickname for his home.
‘He was quite a flamboyant character and he used to arrive at Hale train station, get in a taxi, and say to the driver, “take me to the ugliest house in Hale”, wrapping his cloak around him,’ denise said.

It can be assumed that Wood’s house is no longer referred to as ugly. In fact, it’s safe to say that ‘ugly’ is not a term that is widely used in Hale anymore; because from its humble beginnings, it has developed into a calm, pretty suburb of Manchester.

So next time you’re passing through, make sure you order plenty of coffee. Because there are several morning papers just waiting to be read.

Fact File:

•    Hale’s growth escalated throughout the medieval period and it was during this time that Hale Barns was recognised as a separate settlement.
•    The Massey family were barons of the area until the mid-14th century. They also possessed Dunham and Bowdon.
•    There is a bowling green in the middle of Hale village. It is a popular meeting place for both young and old locals.
•    The earliest reference to Hale is in the 1086 Domesday Book.
•    As a result of the exodus of ‘Manchester Men’ to Hale at the turn of the 19th century, one Manchester minister said: ‘They always go to heaven or Hale.’
•    The Railway pub in Hale is supposedly haunted by a former landlady, Mary Holt. Her presence is sensed by the smell of lavender water.

The earliest reference to Hale is in the 1086 Domesday Book